Low RPM Charging/Urban Riding

I'm wondering what to do about my battery issues. My battery is fine. However, I live in NYC and often do not have access to a battery tender when my 93 R100R is parked. I find I have to take the heavy battery out often and haul it upstairs for a charge.

What is my solution? The guys at Euro Moto Electric say that there EnDuraLast III charging system will remedy the problem. Is there another way? Lithium battery perhaps? Both options are a bit expensive.

The battery in the electrical system is a lot like the check book in a personal financial setting. If the checkbook is continually overdrawn, then 1) you need to get a bigger pay check (put more in), or 2) you need to cut back on your spending (not take as much out).

In the same way with the battery, you can buy a higher output alternator, or you can cut back on the items draining the battery. The second way in both cases is the harder, but much less expensive route. In the end, the optimal method is to try and do a little of both.

So how could you effectively cut the drain on your electrical system ?
• First and foremost, convert ALL bulbs to LED
• Replace the pilot bulb with a 20W version and run this during the day in place of the HL
• Remove or disable any extra brake lamps or running lamps
• Reduce the use of turn signals, especially when stopped
• Do not use the horn

So how could you increase the output on the existing alternator ?
• Try to keep the RPM up. Don't shift under 3200 RPM.
• Check and replace worn alternator brushes
• Take longer rides. Power leaves the battery quickly, but re-charging takes more time.
• Research the Bosch "Police Regulator" available that starts the charging process at lower RPM

Everything else you can get from SuperBrightLEDs.com
• Use BA9s (96 lumen) in Cool White for the pilot bulb
• Use only Red LEDs in the tail lamp* [exact bulb(s) depends on tail lamp]
• Suggest #194 Green for the gauge illumination
• Suggest BA7s Green for clock and voltmeter illumination

* With a standard white incandescent bulb in the tail lamp, most of the spectrum is filtered out. Red LED bulbs will appear much brighter because All of the generated light passes directly though the Red lens. You'll also want Amber bulbs in the turn signals for the same reason.

Wobbly's recommendations are spot on. I would only re-inforce his point from the second post to keep the RPMs up at all times when in motion. In any "in town" riding, I seldom get my bike higher than second gear. The thing about our airheads is that a person has to teach himself to use the bike for any given situation. If you practice gear selection to maintain high RPMs and reduce the load on the charging system, you should be O.K.